Baseball

Baseball: Sweep of Lancers Sends Warriors to 14 in a Row, Big East Lead

Caledonia baseball kept rolling with its biggest week and two biggest wins. Shawn Bauer’s group sent a crazy win-streak ever higher. In their second contest of the year with Lourdes, the battery of Reid Klug (6 2/3 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 6 BB, 6 K, Win, 3-3, R) and Hunter Goetzinger (2-2, 2B, RBI) did the biggest work. The Warriors had a five-walk, five-run fourth and downed the Eagles 5-1 eight days after winning 14-10. Owen Denstad (1-4), Garrett Konz (0-2, R), Ben Stemper (0-3), and Drew Yahnke (0-3) also drove in runs. Lead-off man Tanner Ginther (0-1, R) reached thrice by walk. The Warriors did so nine times. After a rain-out, #8 in AA La Crescent/Hokah (8-1, 8-1) came to town for a huge TRC-East doubleheader. The Lancers sat in second behind Caledonia (9-0, 12-1) due to a loss to Wabasha-Kellogg. Warrior pitching ensured LC/H stayed in second. In game one, Caledonia scored three in the fourth inning, getting back-to-back hits by Konz (single) and Goetzinger (double), then a walk to load the bases. A Yahnke RBI fielders-choice plated one run. A Will Allen two-out infield pop-up dropped just fair, scoring two more runs. On the mound, sophomore Landon O’Heron tossed complete-game a two-hit shut-out (7 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 7 K, Win) to improve to 4-0. He only faced big trouble in the seventh when LC/H’s first two guys reached. But he got out of the jam and the Warriors won 3-0. Goetzinger (1-2, 2B) and Konz (1-3, R) had their only two hits. Jack Schmitz and Stemper also scored. LC/H pitcher Mayes Boyer (6 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K) gave up just one earned run in taking the loss. In game two, Caledonia then had three first-inning hits to jump out 2-0. Goetzinger had a two-run single. Team Cal also scored a pair in the third, fifth and sixth innings. Starter Konz had to battle early. LCH left six on base, including five in scoring position, in the first three innings. But the Warriors built a 9-0 lead before giving up a couple in the seventh for the 9-2 win. Konz (6 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 10 K) picked up the win to improve to 3-1. Denstad (1-4, 3 RBI), Goetzinger (3-4, 2B, 2 RBI), Stemper (2-5, 2 R) and Allen (2-4, R), and Ginther (1-3, 2 R) led the offense. Schmitz scored thrice running for Goetzinger. For the two games, LCH had seven hits and Kale Baker (5-7, RBI) had five of them. The wins give the Warriors (10-0, 14-1) fourteen straight, and they now lead the East by three games over the Lancers (8-3, 8-3) and Cotter (8-3, 9-4). In thirteen of Caledonia’s games, they have given up three runs or less and their team ERA is a super-low 1.29. 

Baseball: Lions Win Two Before Dropping Two to State-Ranked Rivals

Pitching was paramount; the first team to score four runs won all four Spring Grove baseball games last week. There were two close wins over teams below .500 and two competitive setbacks against state-ranked squads. In three of the four low-scoring games, the team that scored first eventually lost. In both early-week wins, the Lions rallied back after falling behind in the first inning, overtaking FC/L, 4-2, in a non-conference battle before rallying past SEC rival GMLOK, 5-3. Then came a 5-0 loss versus #7 in Class A Southland and then, after scoring first, SG fell against #1 in A Lyle/Pacelli, 4-2. The Lions settled into third place (5-3, 7-3) in the SEC behind Southland (8-1, 9-1) and league-leading L/P (7-0, 8-0) with GMLOK in fifth place (3-5, 3-9). At FC/L, the Lions came from behind and then survived a last-inning threat from the Falcons to win, 4-2. Down 1-0 since the first inning, SG did not score until the fifth and sixth innings. Braedon Solie (2 for 3) had two of the five Lion hits and three of the four RBI. Ben Udstuen posted a fourth pitching win in as many starts with no earned runs (6 2/3 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 4 BB, 8 K). With the potential tying runs on base, Jaxon Strinmoen earned the save with only one pitch. Catcher Ezra Griffin scrambled for a quality game-ending grab in foul territory. A trio of Falcon pitchers, Thomas Pikula (2 IP, 0 R, 2 BB, 5 K), Levi Rogers (3 IP, 2 ER, 1 BB, 6 K, Loss), and Jerek Schultz (2 IP, 2 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 2 K) combined to strikeout 13 and walk six, allowing only two earned runs. Joey Pederson was 1-for-3 with one of FC/L’s two runs. GMLOK was much more competitive in a 5-3 loss than in SG’s earlier-season, 12-run win. The Bulldogs scored two unearned runs in the first half-inning; the Lions got one run back (without a hit) in the second inning before taking a 4-2 lead with a big three-run third. For SG, Strinmoen (4 H, 3 R, 6 K, 2 BB, Win) tossed a complete game with no earned runs. GMLOK starter Connor Tangen (4 R, 2 ER, 4 K, 4 BB) allowed only three hits in five innings. SG out-hit the Bulldogs 5 to 4, with two extra-base knocks, including a triple from Elijah Solum (2-4), the lone multi-hit batter of the game. Griffin (1-3) supplied an RBI double. Udstuen (RBI) and Brandon Jahnke each singled for SG while GMLOK received four singles from Tangen, Noah Mundfrom, Courtland Drury-DeBoer and Sam Howard. Tangen scored twice. A dozen walks were critical in the 5-0 loss to Southland with the Lions being blanked for the second time this season by Rebel ace Riley Jax (7 IP, 2 H, 1 BB, 10 K, Win). Strinmoen and Griffin opened the SG fourth with back-to-back singles, but a double play squelched that lone Lion threat. Jahnke (loss), Griffin and Kolton Nerstad combined to give up six hits, eight strikeouts and 12 walks. SG led L/P 1-0 after four innings, but the state’s top-ranked team finally scored with three runs in the fifth and eventually prevailed, 4-2. The Athletics had one more hit (5 to 4) and one fewer error (0 to 1). The game’s only error ushered in two go-ahead runs. There were 22 strikeouts, but free passes (walks, hit batters) figured into every run scored. SG starter Udstuen (8 K, 4 BB) allowed only two hits and one earned run. In two innings of relief, Nerstad walked only one batter. Strinmoen (2-3, 2B) had the Lions’ only extra-base hit and both RBI. All four SG hits came in different innings, including singles from Udstuen and Jahnke. L/P ace Hunter VaDeer struck out 14, walked five. Five of the seven SG innings ended with VaDeer strikeouts.

Three Rivers Conference Baseball (4/29 – 5/3)

Rushford-Peterson 4, Lewiston-Altura 5 (R-P: Evan Kammerer 3-4, 2B, RBI; Rylan Schneider 2-3, 2B, RBI, R, 6 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 1 BB, 4 K, Loss; Creighton Hoiness 1-3, RBI, R; Jonah Bunke 1-2, 2B, R. Trailing 4-1, R-P tied it with a three-run sixth, but L-A scored in their sixth via a two-out double. R-P stranded a one-out double on second in their seventh) 

St. Charles 7, Rushford-Peterson 0 (RP: Cayden Lea 5 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K, No Decision. SC led 6-0 after two) 

Chatfield 1, Lewiston-Altura 5 (C: Westin Nolte 2-3, two 2B, RBI; Kail Schott 1-3, 2B; Carter Schlink 1-2, 4 1/3 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, Loss. L-A’s Nolan Oslie scattered seven hits in picking up the win (7 IP, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K)) 

PEM 10, Fillmore Central/Lanesboro 5 (FCL: L. Rogers 4-4, two 2B, 3 RBI, 2 R; Clayton Schoepski 2-2, 2 R; Joey Pederson 1-4, RBI. PEM scored at least one run in every inning. It was 6-5 through five. FC/L scored a season high run-total) 

Rushford-Peterson 5, Cotter 11 (R-P: R. Schneider 2-4, 2B, RBI; Carson Johnson 2-3; Evan Skalet 1-2, 2B, J. Bunke 1-3, RBI, R. Leading 4-2 midway through four, R-P watched Cotter score nine unanswered to lead 11-4); Cotter 7, R-P 5 (RP: Caden Johnson 2-4, 2B, RBI; J. Bunke 2-4, 2B, R; R. Schneider 2-4, RBI, R; Owen Lange 2-3, RBI, R; E. Kammerer 2-4; C. Lea 4 1/3 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, No Decision. The Ramblers scored five in the third to take the lead for good at 5-3. Trojans > 2-8, 3-9) 

Chatfield 2, Dover-Eyota 4 (C: Caden Boyum 5 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 5 K, Loss, 1-4, R. D-E scored two in the fifth to break a 2-2 tie. Levi Williams (6 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 7 K) collected the win); D-E 2, Chatfield 4 (C: C. Ramaker 7 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, Win; C. Schlink 1-3, 2 RBI; K. Schott 1-3, RBI, 2 R; C. Boyum 1-3, R; Jack Dornack 1-2, 2B. Chatfield built a 4-1 lead. Gophers > 5-5, 5-7) 

Southeast Conference Baseball (4/29 – 5/3)

Southland 17, GMLOK 1 [5] (GMLOK: Connor Tangen 1-2, 2B; Caden Reiter 1-2. Southland walked 11 times) 

Schaeffer Academy 0, Mabel-Canton 18 [5] (M-C: T. Larson 4-4, RBI, 3 R; I. Underbakke 3-4, 2 RBI, 2 R, 3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 8 K, Win; H. Erickson 2-4, two 2B, 4 RBI, R; Darian Hershberger 2-3, 3 RBI, 3 R; N. Garness 2-4, 3 RBI, R, 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, No Decision; Cayden Tollefsrud 1-3, 2B, 2 RBI, R; Kale Tollefsrud 1-2, 2 RBI, 2 R. M-C had a 10-run third, got its first win) 

Houston 0, #1 in A Lyle/Pacelli 4 (H: Morgan Rohweder 3 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K, Loss. L/P won the first meeting 5-0) 

#1 in A Lyle/Pacelli 5, Mabel-Canton (M-C: C. Tollefsrud 6 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 6 K, Loss, 1-2, 2B. L/P’s Dane Scharra (6 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 13 K) gave up just two hits. Cougars > 1-4, 1-8) 

Non-Conference Baseball (4/29 – 5/3)

Mabel-Canton 1, St. Charles 5 (M-C: Milton Hutchinson 1-3 RBI; C. Tollefsrud 5 2/3 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, Loss) 

Mabel-Canton 3, Fillmore Central/Lanesboro 4 (FCL: T. Pikula 1-2, RBI, R, 5 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, No Decision; R. Olson 1-2, RBI, R; Tyson Sprenger 1-2, RBI; J. Pederson 1-3, R; Bridon Bahl 1-3, R; L. Rogers 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, Win. M-C: T. Larson 2-3, RBI, 5 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 5 BB, 6 K, No Decision; N. Garness 1-3, RBI. Down 3-2, FC/L loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the seventh. Olson authored the game-winning walk-off single. It was the Falcons’ first win (0-8, 1-11)) 

Houston 1, Hayfield 8 (Hou: Alex Walters/N. Nelson 2-3. Hayfield had five-run second inning. Hurricanes > 4-5, 6-8)